790 aspirants seek Congress tickets as APCC closes applications in Guwahati

Guwahati, Jan 28: Amid dhol beats and Bihu performances, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) headquarters at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati buzzed with activity on Wednesday as the final day for submission of applications for Assembly election tickets concluded.

A total of 790 aspirants submitted applications seeking Congress tickets for the upcoming Assembly polls.

Between January 5 and January 20, as many as 750 hopefuls filed their applications, while 39 more submissions were received between January 21 and Wednesday.

Of these, 25 candidates turned up on the final day alone.

The last day saw heightened political engagement, with several senior leaders and aspirants addressing the press, launching sharp attacks on the ruling BJP and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.

Among the prominent applicants was Naba Talukdar, Vice President of the APCC, who submitted his application from the newly formed New Guwahati constituency.

Speaking to the press, Talukdar said Guwahati’s electorate is seeking a decisive change.

“Not just New Guwahati, but the entire city is looking for relief from the BJP. Guwahati is surrounded by hills, yet the government’s development vision has been limited to flyovers alone. The people living in the hills have been ignored, and this time they will give a fitting response,” he asserted.

Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia launched a scathing critique of the Chief Minister over repeated allegations against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and the ongoing gamusa controversy.

“The Chief Minister keeps issuing political decrees instead of answering serious questions. He wants to fight elections by targeting Gaurav Gogoi with baseless allegations.” Saikia asked.

On the gamusa issue, Saikia said, “A gamusa has a GI tag. Can just any piece of cloth be called a gamusa? In the name of culture, unnecessary controversies are being manufactured.”

Congress leader Mira Borthakur echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Chief Minister of deflecting attention from governance issues.

“Whenever questions are raised about corruption or property, the Chief Minister brings up Pakistan. If he has courage, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Gaurav Gogoi should sit face-to-face on television and debate. Instead of spreading fear, Sarma should answer real questions,” she said.

Senior Congress leader Durlav Chamua informed that the final day also saw applications from leaders who had earlier left the party.

“On the party’s invitation, a former Congress legislator from Nagaon district, who had left the party in 2021, came to Rajiv Bhawan and applied for tickets from Batadraba and Barhampur constituencies. He had served as an MLA in 2011 and has now returned seeking candidature for the 2026 elections,” Chamua said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Mojib Ali, who applied from the Nalbari constituency, said he hopes the party would give him the opportunity to represent the people.

“I have worked consistently for the party. Schemes alone do not help people, real issues need to be addressed, and the public is with us,” he said.

As the application phase concluded, Congress leaders said the overwhelming response reflected growing enthusiasm within the party ranks and mounting public dissatisfaction with the BJP government.